Even The Stars Fade
by MaddyPettitt
Summary: Damon saves Elena from 'Rose'.
1. Chapter 1

I kept stealing glances at Elena every few seconds, she wasn't talking. She wasn't crying, she wasn't looking at me. She was just...staring out of the window. I wanted to ask her what Rose had told her. God, if I'd known she was behind this...I felt guilty. This was my fault. The cut above her eye seemed to invade my vision, as if to say _'yes, this was all your fault, Damon.'_

"Elena...can you just look at me, please?" I kept my eyes on the road, taking quick glances to see if she was doing what I asked. The answer was no.

"I'm not going to take you home unless you talk to me, here. What _happened_?"

Again silence. I suddenly had a brainwave. I shoved the brakes on and swerved, turning right back the way we came.

"Ahh! Damon! Where are we going? Turn _around_!" She yelled, I smirked. That caught her attention.

But, two can play at this game. I sat quietly and didn't utter a word to her. See if she likes the silent treatment. By the pucker in her expression, she didn't. She looked so cute when she was angry. I took a mental image, to save for later.

I headed down the familiar road and took a left, which lead us onto a dirt track. I hadn't been down here for years, but I still knew the way, like it was yesterday. We were surrounded by towering trees. The setting sun filtered through the leaves, and it really did look spectacular. I watched as Elena was looking out of the windscreen, then back to me, panic in her little, doe eyes. It was refreshing to see that she could feel anything besides love for my brother.

I wasn't going to lie, I was enjoying this far too much.

The narrow, dirt road opened up with the trees, to reveal a quarry. I slowed down to standstill as the memories washed over me. Stefan and I came here after Katherine was captured. We were mid-transition. This was where Stefan and I had made our change over into... it hurt to even think, to even remember. I shook away the memories before I was overcome with nostalgia. Tonight, maybe I'd be able to make more memories here, maybe this could be a happy place, instead of one tainted by my horrific past. I let out an uneasy breath and got out of the car. I ignored Elena as she asked...yelled at me to come back, and headed straight to the shoreline. I watched the water lap the dirt.

In all honesty, it hadn't changed one bit. There was the cabin, a few yards up the embankment. The trees still looked as they did back then. The grass was the same shade of green. And yet, everything had changed. The last time I was here, I was dying, I was human. I was a completely different person. My brother was in charge...he was trying to protect me. He'd made me a slave to the sun.

But hey, I guess he just couldn't live without me, right?

"Damon, where are we?" Elena perked up.

I pointed to a patch of dirt, I could see Stefan standing over the girls body there. "Well, that's where Stefan lost control." I pointed to the quarry. "That's where we washed the shirts we died in...and where we're standing right now, is where Stefan made me _change._" I raised my eyebrows at her. Did she really know Stefan like I did. She must do, now. Saint Stefan the Ripper.

We stood in silence for a few minutes.

"I'm sorry." She hushed, looking around the clearing.

I walked over to the pathetic excuse for a cabin, and sat down. I was surprised it was still standing. "For what?"

"Everything. I know one word can't solve our problems, but I want it to be the start of us resolving things." She stared at me, but I kept my eyes on the rippling quarry. "I know you and Stefan don't get along. I get it, okay. But I love him, Damon."

I furrowed my brow. She always did this. It was one kick in the gut after another. _Save Elena, oh, wait. You're still second best. _"Yep. Thank you for remin-" But she cut me off before I could finish.

"No, no, no. You don't get it. I _love_ Stefan."

"Pretty sure I understand the meaning behind 'love', Elena. I wasn't born yesterday."

"I _love_ Stefan, Damon. But I am _in_ love...with you." She finished. I turned to stare at her.

Her eyes were searching in mine. I wonder if she found what she was looking for. My expression smoothed out and I smiled.

There was no smirk, or snide remark. I had been waiting for this moment my entire existence.

"What..._why_?" I couldn't even breathe, let along thing of a sentence that was longer than three words.

She gave me a quizzical look, "Why?"

"Why the sudden...change of heart?"

She looked at her hands, and started to pick off the dried blood...my blood. "When Rose took me, the other night, I kept wishing, hoping that you would burst through the door and save me, like you always do. But a few days passed and you didn't and I honestly thought I was going to die. As you probably know, when you don't know what's going to happen to you, when you don't know if you're going to see the light of day again, you think of the ones you love. You remember their faces in case that's the last time you'll ever see them. You remember their voices, so that if it was your time, you'd leave this earth knowing that they loved you. You remember the trivial things. You remember all the times you wished you didn't say certain things, or do certain things. You wish you could change time and make everything perfect, so you could die happily. When you know you're going to die, you forget everything you thought mattered. You were the only person I thought about. And I was so, so scared, Damon." I watched as a tear fell from her eye, followed by a parade of tears. She was so...vulnerable.

I took her head in my hands and wiped the tears away with my thumb. "I won't ever let anyone hurt you again, you hear? You're safe now."

She nodded feebly and shivered. I had no doubt in my mind that she was emotionally and physically exhausted. Maybe that was why she was talking crazy. "Elena, I'm going to take you home, okay?" I whispered, getting ready to carry her, if needs must.

She shook her head violently. "I don't want to go home. I don't want to see him."

"Elena, he isn't going anywhere. You've got to see him sometime." I tried to reason with her.

"Damon, he's a monster. I can't trust him, not now. Not since I know who he was before I met him."

"Elena, listen to me. I am only going to say this once. He is my brother. For some bizarre and unknown reason, I love him and you know you still love him. You're just scared. Your thoughts are clouded. Trust me, I've been there before. He needs you, right now. What you feel for me? Isn't love. I know love, I've been in love and I could kick myself for saying this, but you love Stefan, you always will. I know you, Elena. I _do._ Who Stefan was before, doesn't compare to who he is now." I couldn't believe I was actually uttering the words. "I love you, Elena Gilbert, and for that sole reason, I am telling you to be with Stefan. He is what your heart truly wants. God, I could not ask for anything more than your love, you know. But this isn't real life, you and I. We're just lying to ourselves that this could ever work. Please. Elena." The words felt like sandpaper in my mouth. My heart felt heavy in my chest, but I had to do this. I had too.

She stood up and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "Damon..." She looked up at me and, I knew I had to do something.

Something I'd end up regretting.

Something I'd hate myself for, until the end of days.

Something that I needed to do.

I took her head in my hands ones more and brought myself down to her level, I looked into her eyes, making sure I'd be accepted this time, not rejected. Slowly, I brought my lips to hers and when they touched, everything fell away. Every atom in my body felt alive. I wanted to be closer, I wanted to feel her so much closer. I could hear her heart beat faster and I yearned to be living, and breathing. I wanted my heart to be beating, so I could feel it racing. If I had a soul, it belonged to Elena. It would be hers until the end of days. Our lips gently moved together, in a way I could never imagine. It wasn't like anything I'd ever felt before. It wasn't forced, nor was it rushed. It felt like silk on smooth skin, a gentle, refreshing breezy in the summer, a feather running down your cheek.

I pulled away, and let out a shaky breath. Elena was staring back at me, and this was it. She closed her eyes as if she knew what I was going to do.

"I love you, Elena. Please forgive me." I swallowed. She nodded and bit her lip. A tear fell from her eye and my stomach lurched. With my hands still on her neck, I tilted her neck back slightly until she was staring into my eyes, directly. I could feel my pupils expanding and relaxing.

"I'm going to take you home, and you are going to forget everything that happened here. We didn't kiss, nor did you tell me you loved me. You fell asleep in the car..." She stared at me, expressionless. "You're going to talk to Stefan and you're going to make up. You're going to love each other and you will be so happy. And I'll always be waiting in the sidelines. How it should be." I relaxed and let go of her, heading back to the car. I swallowed and buried my feelings from her, just until we got home.

I could hold it together for a few more minutes.

"Damon?" Elena questioned.

"Mhmm." I turned around, waiting by the driver side door.

"Why are we by the quarry?"

"I was just looking for something. You coming?" I raised an eyebrow and got in the car. She shook her head and got in beside me. It was as if we'd just turned back time. She had no recollection of what happened here. She never will.

I turned the car around and headed back up the dirt path. The sky was covered in little white stars now. The nights hadn't changed since 1864. There was less pollution back then, but, the stars never changed and neither would I. This was how it was always going to be. As I glanced in the rear-view mirror, I watched as I left a part of me behind. This place may have washed away the memories of my past, yet, it held knew ones.

Ones that, not matter how hard I might try, I could never forget.


	2. Chapter 2

Elena raced inside the house. I could just imagine how sweet her and Stefan's reunion would be. It made me sick. I hesitated, in the car. I had two options;

Go inside, face Stefan.

Head to the Grill, drink my worries away.

I was about to opt for the second option when there was a knock on the drivers side window. Caroline was staring back at me, her eyes full of...pity.

"Go away, Caroline." I gripped the steering wheel. I couldn't do the charade any more. I couldn't face it. I was done. No more pretending.

"Damon, come on. Are you gonna talk to Stefan?"

"Nope."

She sighed "Damon..."

"I want to be alone, Caroline." I spoke slow. But, of course she didn't didn't understand the meaning of 'alone'. She opened the drivers door and peered at me, for a moment, I honestly thought she was contemplating pulling me out herself. I glared up at her and she raised her eyebrows.

"Fine! Fine. Just don't touch me." I shoved past her and ran into the house.

Stefan was standing with Elena, it looked like they were having an argument. Alaric and Jeremy were on the couch, trying to avoid any involvement and Caroline came in and quietly stood by the bookshelves.

"Damon..." Stefan sounded irritated.

I nodded at him and went to pour myself some whisky, there was no point going through this without alcohol consumption. "Sup, brother." I took a swig of my anaesthetic. I blinked, and suddenly he was in my personal space.

He took the glass from my hand and placed in down on the table, carefully. "Where have you been?"

"Off on some magical adventure..." I said sarcastically. "Why? You jealous Stef? Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you two..." I picked up the glass Stefan had taken from me and dropped it on the floor. I was not in the mood for this.

"What's that supposed to mean, Damon?" Elena questioned, standing behind Jeremy now. I noticed Alaric and Caroline's expression; Dread. Nothing good ever comes out of an argument with Damon.

"Well, now you've gotta clean that up!" Jeremy moaned, I was hardly aware.

I heard Caroline throw a book at him, "Shut _up_, Jeremy."

Stefan turned back to Elena, "What happened?"

Elena shook her head, as if she'd already had this conversation. "I don't remember. I was asleep in the car...then we were by the lake." She moved her eyes off Stefan, to meet mine.

"So, Damon? Why did you feel the _need _to _compel_ Elena?"

Everyone stopped dead. Caroline's mouth dropped. Jeremy looked at Elena then back to me and Alaric, Alaric just looked ashamed. Funnily enough, his reaction hurt the most.

Pft. If they were in my position...

But they weren't.

And they didn't understand.

"Does it matter, Stefan?" I pushed him away and walked back to the door. "Just forget it...it's not important." I waved them off. But, Stefan was already by the door. He pushed me down the steps, I staggered back, slightly. "Don't." I warned him. Did he listen? Never. He walked down the steps to my level and got all up in my personal space, again. What was it with Stefan invading my space? This kid was seriously treading on land-mines. If he wasn't careful...

Stefan shoved me back again, this time into a wall. Everyone else in the room seemed to fade away, this was just me and him. Brother to brother. "Stefan, you won't like the truth. Back down."

He raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms. "Humour me, Damon."

"Humour you? Okay. When you compelled Elena the night her car crashed, and her parents died, did you ever stop to think that, what you're doing may for the right reasons, even if the wrong reasons weighed heavily against it? Oh, oops..." I turned to look at Elena, her expression unreadable, eyes like daggers. "You forgot to mention you compelled her...to forget...the exact details? Stef, _please._"

He turned back to Elena, whose eyes were watering. Stefan looked pained, I took this as an opportunity. Without thinking, I grabbed Stefan and pulled him around, so he was now against the wall and I was pinning him there, by his neck. "Don't tell me it was for _love_, Stefan. Because you _clearly_ don't understand what love is!" I was up in his face now, and, boy, was I angry. If it hadn't been for a little squeal in the background, I don't think I would've stopped.

Elena was standing closer to us now, Caroline was holding her arm back, Jeremy looked ready to dive in front of her and Alaric was glaring at Stefan.

"I want to know why you compelled me, Damon. Please."

I let go of Stefan and threw my hands in the air. "What is the point in compelling someone if they find out what we didn't want them to know in the first place?"

"Damon..." Elena pleaded.

I thought for a minute. "How about...no?" I smiled, sarcastically. She stared at me with her doe eyes, begging. "You're not going to like it." My voice softened, Stefan walked away from me and leant against the fireplace, rubbing his neck. He looked like a dog with his tail between his legs.

"Elena said...man, I just feel so weird, saying it...can't we just do this tomorrow?" I asked, not really caring for an answer, everyone echoed 'no' at the same time. It was eerie to watch.

"Just...repeat what I said, please?" Elena asked, moving closer, so she was by my side now.

God, dammit! Why did she have this pull over me? "I was hoping this would last longer than a few hours, but fine. We were by the quarry, where you and I changed." I eyed Stefan, his eyes fell to the floor, remembering. "Elena was being..._Elena._ She was annoyed I brought her there, but she didn't want to go home and see Prince Charming, over there. '_Oh, he's a monster, I don't want to see him...'_" I made the worst impression of Elena and rolled my eyes. "I stood up for him. We kissed. I compelled her to forget it all, so she could come play happy families with you."

Stefan's mouth fell open, he looked at Alaric then to Caroline, who looked more like statues, than people. "You're lying."

I shook my head. I wish I was lying. For his sake, for her sake. For the sake of every freakin' person in this room. Would they believe me? No. Of course not.

"You're a liar, Damon." Stefan was shaking his head, he wouldn't believe it.

Tell him a lie, and he'll believe you. Tell him the truth, nope. He is not having a word of it. That kid was seriously retarded. The lack of blood must be getting to him.

Stefan paced in front of the fire, refusing to face the truth. If there was some way to get him to believe me, I would have done it, by now. But I just couldn't think of anything. Elena was biting her lip, again. I could picture her face when we were by the quarry...the tears in her eyes...

"I believe you." Elena whispered.

Stefan turned to stare at her, his eyes fuming. My mouth fell open. Of all the people to believe me...

"_Excuse_ me?"I looked at her, this was definitely Elena. Not a shred of Katherine in sight. But...why would she believe _me_?

"You cannot be _serious_, Elena? How do you know he's telling the truth?" Stefan threw his arm my way. I was offended.

"He's not lying...Stefan...Stefan, he's telling the truth." Blondie chimed in. What would she know about it? I gave her a look, and she rolled her eyes. "I know you that well, I guess." She shrugged.

One blink later, and Stefan was in Elena's face, screaming. "How can you believe him? After _everything_?"

I ran and pushed Stefan away from Elena, instincts taking over. I stood between her and him, ready to spring, if I needed too. Caroline was by the wall, where I had just been, holding Jeremy, who looked like he'd never moved so fast in his life. Alaric was by Stefan, I think he was tempting to calm him down. I shook my head, slightly, he backed off. "Calm down, Stefan." I raised my hands. "I told you the truth, okay." I said, slowly, treading lightly. Stefan clasped his hands together behind his head, looking at the ceiling.

"Stefan?" Elena peered round my shoulder. "I know you don't want to hear this...but I remember thinking in the car...before we were at the quarry." I could feel her shaking her head. "He's telling the truth."

"Hey, Stefan...he seems pretty sinc-"

"Jeremy! Not the time!" Caroline hushed and slapped him. It sounded like it hurt.

"Stefan...please..."Elena was stepping around me, closer to him. I wanted to pull her back...I wanted to keep her safe, behind me.

He shook his head. "NO!" He turned, quickly and threw the table that held the whisky across the room, glass shattered everywhere. If that whisky stains the floor...

"You need to calm down." Alaric closed in on Stefan, but Stefan just shoved him, causing him to fly back, across the floor.

"Stefan!" Elena yelled at him, and he stopped. He straightened out and stared at her, his eyes glassy. "I'm sorry." She shook her head. "I can't help it...what I feel for Damon? It's real. I'm sorry."

And with that, all hell broke loose.


	3. Chapter 3

Caroline was the first to act, she had Stefan against the wall before I could even blink. I pushed Elena over to Alaric who backed up by the door, Jeremy behind him. This was not Stefan. This was not like him.

Something had crawled under his skin and I could have a guess.

Katherine.

Stefan wasn't this person. Stefan didn't get angry. Stefan was a good guy, deep down. So, why did bad things happen to good people?

"What's the matter with him?" Elena asked, looking around Alaric at the love of her...life? Because, let's face it. She loved Stefan, no matter how she felt about me.

He stopped, and ran up into Elena's face, despite Alaric being a barrier. "What's wrong with me? Elena, you've fallen for my brother, despite you saying you needed time to feel safe. What do you think is wrong with me?" He shouted in her face.

"Just...back off, Stefan. Calm down" Alaric raised his hands, but Stefan swatted them away.

He ran back to me, fists grabbing my shirt. "What did you do to her?" He shoved me back into the wall.

"Nothing, you dick. I compelled her to forget, you made me remind her. This is not my fault, this is yours." I shoved against him, he let go and staggered back, trying to right himself.

"This is what you do, Damon. 1864 wasn't enough, was it? You had to do it again. Well, you know what? She isn't Katherine!" Stefan yelled. I was overcome with blind rage, I ran at him pushing him into the concrete fire place, missing the mouth by inches. The frame cracked, Stefan's body was indented into the solid surface.

"Why do you keep telling me that, huh, Stefan? I _know_ she's not Katherine, she couldn't be Katherine if she tried. You know what I think? I think you wish she was. Yeah, at the Ball, you didn't hit Katherine once. You had a perfect shot, yet you missed. Why was that, brother? Why didn't you get her when you had the chance? Why did you want to call it off? Oh, well, this may come as a surprise to you, but you still love her, deep down you've always loved her and you hate me because I had the guts to show my love. _That's_ the difference between me and you, Stefan." I shoved off him and stepped back. Stefan relaxed, his mouth open.

I had got him where it hurt the most, and he knew it.

This was definitely something Jerry Springer would love to hear about.

"Stefan? Is this true?" Elena asked, ignoring Alaric's vain attempts to pull her back. She walked right up to him, didn't she realise how silly it was to walk up to an agitated vampire? Oh, wait. This was Elena. Of course she didn't. "You never did stop loving her, did you." She stroked his cheek, though his fangs were out and his eyes were doing that weird vampire thing they do. She was fearless. How I wanted to whisk her away and...

Stefan nodded. "I'm sorry, Elena, I love you, I do. I just..." He couldn't finish. I had never seen my brother more torn in his life.

That moment made me re-evaluate everything I'd done to him in the past century. He was just as broken as I had been. And, even after all of this, Katherine still kept an eye on him.

All these years, it was always Stefan.

It was always going to be Stefan.

Who could compete with that?

"Why didn't you just say something?" Elena shook her head, trying to understand. She hesitated before continuing "And my parents. I want to know what happened? Stefan, if you want us to get past this, you need to talk to me."

I gave Caroline a look, she nodded and lead Jeremy and Alaric out of the door. We were alone. I contemplated joining them, but...could I? I weighed the options in my head. Yes. No. Yes. No.

Yes.

I had to leave, this was not my fight any more. I could finish Stefan off later, but for now, I had to give Elena her time with him. I wanted her to be sure of the choices she was making. I wanted her to be happy, and if that meant smoothing things over with Saint Stefan, so be it.

That was the difference between me and him.

I was brave enough to let her go, he was not.

I grabbed my leather jacket from the back of the sofa and headed for the door. Stefan stood up, thinking he had something to say, I faced him, but he simply nodded, as if he knew I was going to finish this later. Too right was I going to finish this later. I knew how Stefan and Elena's fight would end; make up sex. It seemed to be a recurring thing, they fight, they make up, they fight, they make up. No matter what Stefan had done wrong, Elena always took him back. He could kill the President for all she cared, and she'd still think he was the best thing to walk the Earth.

For the first time, in a long time, I didn't want to go to the Grill to drown my sorrows away. I wanted...what I wanted was sitting on my couch with my brother. I ran out of the house, just far away from the both of them to think. Where could I go? Where was I wanted?

Nowhere.

Was it too much to ask to just belong somewhere?

I sighed, I tried to push her, Stefan, Katherine...everyone out of my mind for mean while. I knew what I wanted (second to Elena) so I let my feet guide me. Once I'd reached my destination, I breathed in the air, trying to drag it down to my feet for future indulgences.

I could almost taste the blood on my tongue. It felt good to hand myself over to my cravings.

Now, _this_ was where I belonged...at least for the time being.


End file.
